Draper Wants the Sewer Proof and Every Elevation Before Review Starts
Service Area: Draper, UT
Draper says incomplete ADU applications will not be accepted or held. The checklist is specific: sewer proof, parcel boundaries, every building, parking, setbacks, every floor and all four elevations in the submitted PDF.
Apex Drafting builds custom house plans, ADU sets, additions and permit drawings around that checklist. We serve Draper remotely and do not claim a local office.
Draper's checklist is a completeness test before it is a design review
The city's application checklist opens with an unusually useful warning: incomplete applications will not be accepted or held. A partial upload does not reserve a place in line.
The packet asks for a property-ownership affidavit, an application affidavit, the $450 fee and proof of sewer service. A current sewer bill can satisfy that item for a connected property. A septic property instead needs recent maintenance evidence or health-department approval. The schematic site plan must show property boundaries and dimensions, existing and proposed buildings, parking and setbacks. Floor plans are required for every level. New construction needs architectural elevations on all four sides, including colors and materials; an existing structure needs photos of all four sides.
That is why we begin with the parcel and the intake list. A floor plan alone is not an ADU application, and a generic plan package that omits sewer status or the existing buildings is not ready for Draper's portal.
The October law narrows Draper's 12,000-square-foot threshold
Draper's current public FAQ allows a detached ADU on a residentially zoned lot of at least 12,000 square feet. Utah Code section 10-21-304 takes effect October 1, 2026 and requires specified municipalities to permit a qualifying detached ADU on a lot of 11,000 square feet or more. It also prohibits a conditional-use requirement in a primarily residential zone.
The state rule does not erase the rest of Draper's standards. Current city guidance limits a property to one ADU, puts a detached unit in the rear yard, applies the same setbacks as a house in the underlying zone, requires owner occupancy and at least one additional non-tandem parking space, caps the unit at 50% of the primary dwelling and requires it to match the house in color, materials and design. The published height cap is 35 feet, and separate utility meters are not permitted.
For lots between 11,000 and 11,999 square feet, the date and the city's implementing update matter directly. We verify the adopted path before finalizing the site plan.
Internal ADUs have their own map and garage-conversion trap
Draper's public guidance says an internal ADU is generally available on a residentially zoned lot larger than 6,000 square feet that fronts a qualifying public street, subject to the city's prohibited-area map. The primary dwelling must be owner-occupied, one extra non-tandem parking space is required and the exterior must keep the appearance of a single-family house.
If a garage is enclosed to create the unit, Draper requires replacement garage parking. That can make an otherwise simple conversion fail at the site-plan stage. We show the current parking and proposed replacement before investing time in the interior layout.
A second kitchen can also cross the line into an ADU even when a family member lives there rent-free. Draper explains that a physically separated living area with a locking door can create a second dwelling unit. Existing-condition drawings help the city and owner see which path the space actually follows.
Working on a Draper, UT project right now?
Send us the lot and what you want to build. We'll confirm which local rules apply to your parcel and come back with a firm number, at no cost.
What Apex drafts for a Draper project
ADU application sets
Site plans, all-floor layouts and four-side elevations packaged around Draper's checklist, with the current-versus-October lot rule called out early.
ADU plans and designAdditions and remodels
As-built and proposed drawings for additions, basement conversions and garage work, coordinated with existing rooflines and the required permit details.
Addition and remodel draftingCustom house plans
Lot-aware plans for new homes, including site information and engineering coordination when the project contains stamped structural elements.
Custom house plansDigital submission does not mean a generic drawing set
Draper conducts planning business through its online portal, where applicants can upload documents, check status and resubmit drawings. We deliver digital files organized for that process and keep revision labels clear so a corrected sheet does not create a second review problem.
Surveying, engineering, sewer verification and construction are separate scopes when required. Apex coordinates the drawing set with those inputs but does not represent a remote drafting package as a substitute for every licensed professional or field condition.
Draper drafting and ADU questions
What lot size does Draper currently require for a detached ADU?
Draper's published FAQ currently says detached ADUs are allowed on residentially zoned lots of at least 12,000 square feet. Utah's October 1, 2026 law requires qualifying detached ADUs on lots of 11,000 square feet or more, so applicants near or after that date should verify the city's updated standard.
What does Draper require in an ADU application packet?
The city's checklist asks for ownership and application affidavits, the fee, proof of sewer service, a PDF site plan with boundaries, buildings, parking and setbacks, floor plans for every level, and four exterior elevations for new construction or four-side photos for an existing structure.
How much is Draper's ADU permit application fee?
The current city checklist lists a $450 ADU permit application fee. Building-permit, engineering, utility or other project costs are separate and depend on scope.
Can a Draper detached ADU be rented short term?
No. Draper's ADU rules require a lease term of at least 30 consecutive days. The city treats general short-term rental rules separately, but the ADU itself remains a long-term-rental use.
Can a Draper property have an internal and detached ADU?
No. Draper's published rules limit a single-family residential property to one ADU. A detached ADU and an internal ADU cannot both occupy the same property.
Does a Draper ADU need to match the house?
A detached ADU must match the primary dwelling in color, materials and design under the city's published standards. The application checklist also calls for all four architectural elevations on new construction, so this requirement belongs in the drawings rather than a note added later.
Primary sources to check before submitting
Rules checked August 25, 2026. Draper is updating its zoning code and Utah's detached-ADU law takes effect October 1, so confirm the parcel against the current portal materials.
Compare Utah permitting markets
Utah sets the statewide floor. Each city still controls the parcel-level standards and intake process. Compare the other city guides before assuming one municipality's checklist applies in another.
Get a Free Quote for Your Draper, UT Project
Tell us what you're building and we'll scope it, confirm the timeline, and give you a firm number before any drafting starts. Every plan set is drafted to your local jurisdiction's documentation standards.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (435) 990-3556.
Start with the lot, not a generic plan
Send us the Draper property, the project type and anything you already have. We will identify the local review path, scope the drawing set and give you a firm quote before drafting begins.